RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed multiple aerial threats, including drones and a ballistic missile, as regional tensions continue to escalate following recent strikes involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
The Ministry of Defence spokesperson said seven drones were intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Region in recent hours. In a separate statement, he added that a ballistic missile launched toward Al-Kharj Governorate was also successfully intercepted.
المتحدث الرسمي لـ #وزارة_الدفاع: اعتراض وتدمير صاروخ باليستي أُطلق باتجاه محافظة الخرج، وسقوط شظايا الاعتراض في محيط قاعدة الأمير سلطان الجوية دون أضرار. pic.twitter.com/hd74lFc4Qb
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 18, 2026
Saudi authorities said the incidents come amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, with Iran warning it could target energy infrastructure in the region following strikes carried out by the United States and Israel late last month.
Those strikes, which killed Iran’s supreme leader, have triggered a wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
The escalation has also increased concerns over the security of key maritime trade routes and global energy supplies.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoints, through which around a fifth of global crude supply passes — has stopped amid the growing instability.
